Bumper



B. M. SHCRT Dec. 3, 1935.

BUMPER Filed Nov. 19, 1932 Patented Dec. 3, 1935 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE eral Spring Bumper Corporation,

Detroit,

Mich., a corporation of Michigan Application November 19, 1932, Serial No. 643,336

6 Claims.

This invention relates to bumpers, and has for one of its objects to provide an impact and back bar structure in which the means for attaching the parts of the bumper to each other are concealed from view when the bumper is attached to a vehicle.

It is another object of the invention to construct an irregularly shaped impact bar from a bar of material of uniform width.

Another object of the invention consists in a novel method of constructing an' impact bar which is bent in a plurality of planes.

It is a further object of the invention to provide an impact bar having certain ornamental characteristics simulating an aeroplane propeller in elevation and having portions thereof reversely arched in plan, toaford twin impact portions.

It is another object of the invention to provide an impact bar having spaced impact portions and a reinforced intermediate portion.

Another object of the invention consists in the provision of an impact bar having spaced impact portions and being reinforced at the ends of the impact portions.

In accordance with the general features of the invention, a bar of material of generally uniform width is bowed edgewise and the ends thereof given a spoon shape and a central portion extends at substantially right angles to the main body of the bar. In elevation, the bar is thus made narrow at the center and at the ends. The wide portions of the bar are also bent forwardly from the narrow portions, thereby providing spaced impact sections. The flange-like portions at the ends and center of the bar serve to reinforce the corresponding portions of the impact bar. These flanges are joined to the remainder of the bar throughout at uniform curvature and by employing a grinding wheel with corresponding curvature, it is possible 'to grind or polish the flanges on each side of the bar with a single operation. Likewise, the remainder of the bar is of substantially uniform curvature throughout its length so that, by employing a grinding wheel of corresponding curvature, the grinding or polishing of said portion of the bar may be accomplished with a single grinding or polishing operation.

The spoon shaped ends afford pockets for receiving the ends of the back bar structure so that when said ends are attached to the impact bar, the attaching means is substantially concealed from view. Additionally, the flanged intermediate portion of the bar .overlies the means by which the center of the back bar structure is connected to the impact bar.

Further objects and advantages of the invention will appear as the description proceeds.

This invention (in a preferred form) is illustrated in the drawing and hereinafter more fully described.

On the drawing:

Figure 1 is an elevational view showing an impact bar constructed in accordance with the principles of the present invention.

Figure 2 is a plan View of the bumper appearing in Figure 1.

Figures 3, 4 and 5 are sectional views taken substantially in the planes indicated by the lines III-III, IV-IV, and V-V in Figure 2.

Referring now more particularly to the drawing, wherein the same parts are designated throughout by the same reference characters, the impact bar I is formed from a bar of metal such as spring steel which is preferably of substantially uniform width and of arcuate cross-section as shown at 2, the radius of curvature being preferably the same throughout. The bar stock is received in strips which .are initially longitudinally straight. The strip to be formed into an impact bar is bent edgewise as shown at 3 in Figure 1 into a bow shape with its central portion lowermost. The bar is thereupon bent transversely into a sinuous form comprising two bowed portions extending forwardly to constitute impact sections 4, the ends 5 and intermediate part 6 extending rearwardly from said sections.

From the foremost portion of each impact section 4, the bar I is gradually reduced toward the ends 5 to form substantially spoon-shaped terminals including upper and lower flanges k'I, the junctures 8 of said flanges with the remainder 2 of the bar I being throughout of uniform transverse curvature. The intermediate part 6 40 of the bar I between the foremost portions of the impact sections 4 is formed uppermost with a horizontal rearwardly extending flange gradually increasing in width from said foremost portions to the center of the bar as shown at 9, where its width preferably approximates one half the maximum width of the bar I, occurring at the foremost portions of the impact sections 4. The juncture I0 of the ilange 9 with the substantially vertical part 2 of the bar is formed with 50 a radius which is the same as that at 8, so that by employing a grinding or polishing wheel having a shape in cross-section corresponding to the shape of the flanges 'I and 9 and having a curved portion of the same radius as the junctures 8 55 and Il), the flange 9 and the flanges 1 on the same side of the bar as the iiange 9 may be ground or polished with a single grinding or polishing operation.

The impact bar may be connected to the vehicle by any suitable back bar structure, the structure I I her-ein being illustrative of one form that the same may take. The back bar structure II comprises a pair of bars I2 adapted for connection to the horns of the chassis (not shown) of the vehicle equipped with the bumper, the inner ends I3 of the bars I2 being bent forwardly and overlapped as shown in Figures 2 and 5. The overlapped portions of the bars I2 are pierced at I4, as is also the central impact portion at I5 to receive the shank IS of a clamp I'I. The clamp I1 may have any ornamental form and is preferably shaped transversely to conform to and engage the front portion 2 and the flange portion S of the bar as shown in Figures 2 and 5. A lock washer I8 and nut I9 are applied to the threaded end of the shank I6 for securing the impact and back structures together. It will be observed that the shank I6 and associated attaching instrumentalities are so arranged as to be insertable from the top as Well as the front, so that the appearance of the bumper as a whole will not be detracted from regardless of the duration of use of the structure forming the subject-matter of the present invention.

The outer ends 2i) of the bars I2 are return bent forwardly as shown in 1figure 2, to fit in and conform to the interior of the spoon-shaped extremities 5 of the impact bar I, and are secured therein by the nut and bolt means 2|. The bolt head may be rounded as shown or have Vany other suitable ornamental shape, and the remainder of the fastening means is hidden from the top by the upper flanges l and from the front by the portion 2 of the bar.

It will be clear from the foregoing that the bumper structure possesses certain unique ornamental characteristics in that, viewed from the front, the impact bar simulates an aeroplane propeller, and viewed from above, said bar simulates what is known as a classical or Cupids bow. In addition to enhancing the attractiveness of the bumper as a whole, the flanges 'I and Si serve the useful function of reinforcing the impact sections 4 to prevent undue exing of said sections. The central fia-nge s furthermore eliminates the need of a deep forwardly projecting arc at the center of the back bar structure.

It will be appreciated that while bolt and nut means are illustrated as constituting attaching means beween the impact bar and the back bar structure, obviously any other suitable attaching means could be employed without departing from the principles of the invention. Moreover, instead of using a plurality of bars I2, a unitary bar serving the same purpose could be employed.

Obviously, the present invention may be embodied in a bumper construction employing a plurality of impact bars, Whether used at the front or rear of a car. The bars are shown to be of somewhat greater thickness than the impact bar. but if desired, this relationship may be reversed or they may be of the same thickness. It will be noted also that the ends of the impact bar and corresponding ends of the back bar structure I I are formed to facilitate their assembly for attaching purposes as well as for the sake of appearance.

The wings or ends 5 may be formed either before or after the bar is bent edgewise.

I am aware that many changes may be made, and numerous details of construction may be varied through a wide range without departing 5 from the principles of this invention, and I, therefore, do not purpose limiting the patent granted hereon otherwise than necessitated by the prior art.

I claim as my invention: 10

1. In combination with supporting bracket means, an impact bar connected to said means and having rearwardly disposed end and central portions, at least a portion of said bar throughout the entire length thereof being substantially 15 vertical and having a uniform transverse curvature, the end'and central portions of said bar being provided with substantially horizontally eX- tending flanges, the junctures of said flanges with the remainder o-f said bar being of uniform 20 transverse curvature.

2. The method of forming a bumper bar of less height at at its ends and center than at its intermediate portions fronl a strip of substantially flat stock and of substantially uniform width, comprising the steps of bending the bar longitudinally to the shape of a classical bow, bending the ends of the bar to form spoon-like terminals of diminishing depth from the ends toward the center of the bar, and bending a marginal 30 portion of the center of the bar into a flange of diminishing width from the center toward the ends of the bar.

3. The method of forming a bumper bar of less height at its ends and center than at its 35 intermediate portions from a strip of substantially fiat stock and of substantially uniform width, comprising the steps of bending the bar longitudinally to the shape of a classical bow, bending the ends of the bar to form spoon-like 40 terminals of diminishing depth from the ends toward the center of the bar, bending a marginal portion of the center of the bar into a flange of diminishing width from vthe center toward the ends of the bar, and bending the bar edgewise to l.; the form of an arch to accentuate the appearance of narrowness of the center of the bar.

4. In combination with supporting bracket means, an impact bar connected to said means and being of substantially uniform width and 50 bent longitudinally to afford rearwardly extending end and central portions, the intermediate portions being of substantially full height and the end and central portions being of reduced height, the excess material extending rearwardly 55 and serving to reinforce the end and central portions.

5. In combination with supporting bracket means, an impact bar connected to said means and being of substantially uniform width having G0 longitudinally spaced impact portions and a rearwardly extending intermediate connecting portion of less height than the impact portions and provided with a flange for reinforcing the same and shielding the connection between the intert5 mediate portion and the bracket means.

6. In combination with supporting bracket means, an impact bar connected to said means and having rearwardly extending relatively narrowend and central impact portions and the 70 remaining impact portions being relatively wide, and means for reinforcing said narrow portions to compensate for the reduced width thereof.

BLADEN M. SHORT. 

